A New York man has pleaded guilty to a hate crime after firing a shotgun outside an Albany synagogue, NBC5 reported.
Federal prosecutors announced that 29-year-old Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, from Schenectady, admitted to multiple charges, including obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs through threats of force, brandishing a firearm during the commission of this crime, and conspiring to unlawfully purchase a firearm following his December 2023 arrest.
Authorities say Alkhader fired a shotgun twice on the front steps of Temple Israel in Albany in December of 2023.
During the incident, which occurred on the first night of Hanukkah, he reportedly shouted "Free Palestine" and attempted to remove an Israeli flag from the premises.
He was taken into custody shortly afterward and has remained jailed since his arrest.
The attack occurred just weeks after the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023.
Alkhader also admitted to collaborating with another individual in November 2023 to acquire the shotgun used in the attack by providing false information to a federal firearms dealer in Albany.
His accomplice, Andrew Miller, pleaded guilty to his role in the illegal firearm purchase and received a 14-month prison sentence.
Alkhader’s sentencing is set for June 6. He faces a sentence ranging from seven years to life in prison, along with up to five years of post-release supervision.